Recipe: Cookie Dough Smoothie

A “healthy” cookie dough smoothie was one of my relatively recent experiments that turned out quite well! This is actually two separate recipes and both are great on their own.  First make the cookie dough and allow it to freeze.  Once frozen, it can be used whenever desired for smoothies, ice cream, or nibbling!

The cookie dough recipe was loosely based on a recipe I saw…it looked like a cross between chocolate chip cookie dough and shortbread cookie dough…so that is what I did…along with a few other twists I have been slowly incorporating into some of my cookie recipes.

Smoothie recipe…you may ask?  Sorry, it doesn’t exist.  This is one that I just dumped things together, turned on the blender…and the result was amazing.  Thus, I continue to just dump in the same set of ingredients (most of the time-sometimes I get creative and try other things). 

“Healthy” Cookie Dough Smoothie

Make cookie dough and form into small balls.  Freeze.  Make smoothie.  Gently stir in some cookie dough balls (this is going to be arbitrary-thus to taste!).  Pour into glass and enjoy!  Of course, the cookie dough will interfere with the effectiveness of a straw for those who like to use straws for smoothies. 

Actual “recipes”

Recipe 1: Raw Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
tried/created 7/24/12

½ c butter, softened
½ c oil
1 ½ c brown sugar
1 t vanilla
2 ¼ c whole wheat flour
1 t salt
~1 c mini chocolate chips (~ ½ 12-oz pkg)

Cream butter and brown sugar, stir in oil and vanilla.  Stir together flour and salt and add to wet ingredients-mix well.  Add chocolate chips and stir in.  Shape into balls of desired size.  These can be “bite-sized” for cookie dough snacking/desserts.  Or, these can be made very small to add to ice cream or smoothies. Note: dough will be crumbly.

Recipe 2: Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
disclaimer: not an actual recipe!

Frozen banana
Peanut butter (I use natural)
milk

Break the frozen banana into chunks and place the chunks in a blender.  Add a spoonful of peanut butter and pour in some milk.  Blend until desired consistency.  If too thick, add more milk. 

Enjoy!

Pictures! (Yes, I know the order is backward, but I'm too tired to deal with it now. Also, please ignore dates/times-they are incorrect.)

Finished smoothie!

 cookie dough on top of smoothie

 Smoothie

 Blending

 peanut butter on top of banana

 frozen banana

 cookie dough!

 little cookie dough balls, heading for freezer

Fire...

...can be so many things.  It can warm and comfort on a cold day.  It can also cause fear and loss.  Such extreme perspectives for the same word.

This morning started out with fear from fire.  The apartment building next to the one I live in was burning.  Quite honestly, it was scary watching the flames engulf the roof of the entire building and seeing how close that building is to the one I live in.  All it would take was a little wind to carry the flames across...

But, God protected.  All occupants of the building that burned were evacuated safely with no injuries!  All occupants from the east wing of "my" building were also safely evacuated (due to smoke inhalation risks).  My section of the building was the furthest east that was NOT evacuated.  But, I did pack up essentials just in case...and was so relieved to see the fire lessen as the fire fighters gained control.  Small isolated fires continue to burn, but the massive flames from earlier were gone.  Smoke filled the area and at one point, it was impossible to see between the two buildings because the smoke was so thick.  The east building is a total loss.

 Please ignore dates/times on the photos (major camera battery problems). These are AFTER the fire was controlled, though not extinguished. My batteries were ALL dead earlier on when the flames were making things look a bit scary.

My building is the one on the right in the above photo. You can see how close the buildings are and how thick the smoke was at times.

Some through the waters, some through the flood,

Some through the fire, but all through the blood;

Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song,

In the night season and all the day long. 

I could not help but think of the above words all morning.  Two years ago, I was evacuated by boat due to severe flooding.  This morning, I was not evacuated, but that concern was present until the fire was under control.  In ALL things, God is good.  I do not have to understand His ways, only trust Him.

I am so grateful for God's protection this morning!  Everyone got out OK! Now, praying for all of those displaced.  Yes, it was scary until they got the fire under control.  I live in the building adjacent to the one that burned. At one point they were directing at least one hose onto the roof of the building I live in to cool it down and prevent the fire from spreading to this building.  To my knowledge, there are still small fires burning, but I honestly have not looked for awhile.  Other than the fact that everything smells like smoke, I was untouched by the fire itself, though impacted by the scene of watching those who lost everything...a powerful reminder of true priorities. I remember clearly nearly two years ago packing under similar, yet very different, circumstances.  In that case it was flooding and I was forced to evacuate.  Again, I had to decide what was most important to take with me for an unknown duration.  In that instance I had no way of knowing when I'd be allowed back in.  In contrast, this morning, the fire was controlled soon enough that I did not need to be evacuated.  While I packed with unknowns in mind, I knew relatively soon after that it was not necessary and that once out, they'd let me back in again.  (The entire street is blocked off with no traffic in or out.  I did have to ask and did have to convince the police officer this afternoon to let me back in.  At first, he didn't think I could actually get there, but when I explained that I had gotten out fine, he let me back in.) 

Local news article on the fire:

http://www.iowastatedaily.com/news/article_357565ea-ce8a-11e1-af61-001a4bcf887a.html

Just another day...in my life that seems to think I need constant "excitement."  Honestly, I far prefer "boring" to the types of "excitement" I've had recently.  Yet, God reminds that He is faithful to carry me through even when overwhelmed by circumstances. 

 Above shows where the fire is reported to have started.

 In the above photo "my" building is on the left-too close and scary when the fire was at its worst.

 Far less scary in these photos than earlier on, yet more grave as full extent of the damage is becoming obvious.

This photo was really only to show context...partly thinking of two years ago when all of this was under water...and now full of smoke and worse.

I did go back out and look a short while ago.  No indication of fire anywhere and clean-up is already underway.  Vehicles are being towed away and debris carried away.  The sound of dripping water and falling pieces of charred building can be heard throughout the area.  

More links on things:

http://www.iowastatedaily.com/multimedia/collection_aef2414e-ceb3-11e1-8100-0019bb2963f4.html

http://www.amestrib.com/sections/news/ames-and-story-county/apartment-house-burns-south-fifth-street.html

In all, I'm grateful that God is still in control even when things are out of control from a human perspective.  I am praying for those who lost everything and are now temporarily homeless; also, that I take away from this the reminder of true priorities and what is truly important.  

July 2012 Update on Mom

This is an update on my mom that my sister Lori wrote and posted on Facebook.

Thank you for your faithful prayers for our family. Mom was given a break from chemo for four months this spring.  In June, scans showed some change in her bones and additional tests found cancer in her bone marrow and spots on her liver. The cancer in the bone marrow helps explain the fluctuations in her blood counts even when she wasn’t on chemo.

~

Mom started chemotherapy again this past Monday. Please pray that it would be effective in getting rid of the cancer in her bone marrow and liver. Pray also for relief from side effects such as nausea and weariness and for protection from sickness or infection. She needed another blood transfusion today (Saturday) to help raise her blood count. Hopefully, this will help with some of the tiredness that she has been having, as well.

~

Her outlook is cheerful and full of hope as always. We praise the Lord for His goodness and the grace that He gives from day to day. “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.” – Psalm 34:8

Life is interesting...

...and apparently never boring, calm, quiet, peaceful.  I would happily settle for "boring" in place of the continual excitement of unpredictability. 


I feel as if I am sorting through the aftermath (on multiple fronts, really).  There is nothing quite so anti-climactic as pushing really hard toward a difficult goal, literally draining all resources and then having the goal postponed (feels like: taken away) at the last moment...and delayed for over a month.  I am now bearing the physical, emotional, mental consequences of the push without the rewards...or at least that is how things appear.  I am the sickest I have been in quite some time...and still facing large amounts of work that needs to be done.  There are a lot of positive things about this change, but I still need some time to adjust and to get used the major change in plans.  


And, yes, I am aware I have not posted in a VERY long time.  See above info about pushing very hard toward a goal.  I figured if I did not have time to sleep, I most certainly did NOT have time for Facebook or blogging.  Hence my apparent absence from both for awhile.  I admit, I did once in awhile glance briefly, but did not try to post or keep up with anything.  Things are still really busy and will be, but hopefully, I can bring things back to a better balance now that some of the intensity is gone.  

Regardless of recent circumstances, I know beyond all doubt that God is in control and that He lovingly orchestrates things to best meet my ultimate needs.  Even in the recent chaos, I could and can feel Him supporting and sustaining me.  He is good and faithful in all He does.  

Sufficiency in Difficulties

These thoughts are taken from my readings the morning of May 10 with additional thoughts I added.

From Jesus Calling by Sarah Young (written as if Jesus was speaking to the reader):

“Do not resist or run from difficulties in your life. These problems are not mistakes; they are hand-tailored blessings designed for your benefit and growth. Embrace all the circumstances that I allow in your life, trusting Me to bring good out of them. View problems as opportunities to rely more fully on Me.

When you start to feel stressed, let these feelings alert you to your need for Me.  Thus, your needs become doorways to deep dependence on Me and increasing intimacy between us.  Although self-sufficiency is acclaimed in the world, reliance on Me produces abundant living in My kingdom.  Thank Me for the difficulties in your life, since they provide protection from the idolatry of self-reliance.”

My thoughts:

Wow! Pretty much exactly what I needed to be reminded of right now.  I need to step back and allow God to have full control of my life and trust that He knows what He is doing and that He is using the tools that He feels will best develop me according to His plan.  I must cheerfully/joyfully submit/yield/surrender to Him in full trust and humility.

From 31 Days of Praise: Enjoying God Anew by Ruth Myers with Warren Myers (written as if the reader is speaking to God):

“I choose to thank You for my weaknesses, my infirmities, my inadequacies (physical, mental, emotional, relational)…for the ways I fall short of what people view as ideal…for my feelings of helplessness and inferiority, and even my pain and distresses.  What a comfort to know that You understand the feeling of my weaknesses!...and that in Your infinite wisdom You have allowed these in my life so that they may contribute to Your high purposes for me. 

Thank You that many a time my weaknesses cut through my pride and help me walk humbly with You…and then, as You’ve promised, You give me more grace-You help and bless and strengthen me.  Thank You for all the ways I’m inadequate, for they prod me to trust in You and not in myself…and I’m grateful that my adequacy comes from You, the all-sufficient God who is enough! 

Thank You that I can trust You to remove or change any of my weaknesses and handicaps and shortcomings the moment they are no longer needed for Your glory, and for my good, and for the good of other people…and that in the meantime, Your grace is sufficient for me, for Your strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.

My thoughts:

Wow! This really fits with the other readings.  I need to surrender fully and let God work-His way.  

This however, is not the end of the story for that day.  The following is copied from something I wrote that evening:

Processing

I had an amazing quiet time this morning!  I was so encouraged, everything was fitting together and connecting with where I am and what I dealing with at present.  The day started off well, but somewhere, sometime, somehow things started slipping as one incident followed another, new issues came up that were entirely unanticipated, old issues resurfaced, or had new components added to them.  Somehow, I went from excited anticipation of what the day held to a pathetic heap lying in bed and crying the hardest I have cried in a very long time (and I am not ordinarily a crier). What happened?  Is this just the depths after the mountain height this morning?  I am writing now in an attempt to stop the tears-not because I have pulled myself together.  Next to me is a box of Kleenex that is in serious danger of being emptied before I am done. 

Questions: is there something I am missing?  Is God trying to teach me something I am not getting?  Am I being too prideful?  Thus, it takes repeated and harder lessons?  Is this simply something He is allowing for now to teach me more complete dependence on Him?  I think one of my biggest fears in all of this, is that instead of bringing Him glory by my response to things, I will mar what He is trying to accomplish.  

Thoughts written today while putting this together:

I don't really have answers to the questions I asked above.  It is interesting to look back over the readings and the "crash" that evening.  I think the meltdown was a combination of things including the opportunity to practice what I had learned that morning.  Looking back, in the midst of the tears, as I was writing and trying to process and make sense of things, I made a list of the major stressors and difficulties I was facing.  It was a rather lengthy list.  This allowed me to realize that an emotional meltdown was natural under the circumstances and most likely unavoidable when considering everything that was weighing on me.  It also allowed me to identify which issues I could take action on myself and which ones I needed help with as well as which ones there is nothing anyone can do about right now.  I then sent a couple of emails and set things in motion and was able to put a plan in place to effectively manage some of the issues.  Others are still definitely present and will be for awhile.  Still others are most likely things I will be dealing with the rest of my life.  The permanent difficulties are sometimes the hardest and sometimes the easiest to accept.  I came through a period of deep discouragement and frustration, where I acknowledged that God had to still have a plan since I was still dealing with things, but I was failing to see even the tiniest glimpse of what possible good could come out of the circumstances.  Then, God showed me some of what He was doing and how He was using me.  He used encouraging words from others, He even showed me how some of my ramblings in this blog were reaching others with similar struggles.  The realization that God was using me in spite of my less-than-stellar attitude was humbling.  It was also the encouragement I needed at the time to keep on going resting in His strength and joy in the midst of the difficulties and to know more fully that truly He is all-sufficient to carry me through the most difficult times.  

I realize this was another long post, but could not figure out how to break it up without losing the context of how everything fit together.  I am ever amazed at God's love and faithfulness!

Finals Week: Writing on Demand

Finals week has caught up with me again.  I have been struggling to finish two short papers to finally complete requirements for a course I received an incomplete in last spring.  Why is it so hard to write these two papers?  They are even along the lines of where my greatest strengths in writing are.  I love black and white, logic, sequence, putting things together in order, thinking through how things fit.  Admittedly, I am not a writer, but critiques of science and research are far easier for me than creative writing.  Or so I have always thought.  Recently, I am beginning to wonder.  Why can I write a couple of pages in my journal in 30 minutes or so?  Why can I draft blog posts? Facebook notes? I do take the effort to make sure wording is accurate, anything I have quoted is appropriately cited, etc. So, why can I write these, but not assignments?  My latest conclusion (as of 5 minutes ago) is that I cannot write on demand.  I can free flow what I am thinking, learning, experiencing, etc.  I can vent out frustrations, negative thoughts, other less-than-admirable content.  What is so hard about writing something that I put the outline together myself, chose the papers I am to analyze, picked the topics based on interests?  Is it simply pressure of deadlines?  I don’t think so.  Why am I writing this now?  Because it gives me something to do when I am struggling to point of frustration with the assigned papers that absolutely must be finished ASAP.  So, I am washing dishes, cleaning, thinking as I work, jotting down the thoughts here.  Open documents on my computer? Why, the two assigned papers (still trying), and my journal for today of which this random piece is actually just one section. Hopefully, after my lovely little side track here, I will be able to again focus and get these papers finished...!!!
 

Weekend and this Week in a Nutshell

I had an amazing weekend with family! This was the first I got to go back since Christmas break! Everyone was able to be there! It was nice to catch up in person with everyone. It was lovely to be able to relax fully-very long daily naps, or multiple naps per day if shorter naps.

I enjoyed a homemade meal for supper-not even a crock pot one-a rarity these days. There are cookies in the oven, smelling wonderful! I am trying to avoid the state of being totally, completely overwhelmed...by choosing not to think about the full list of everything that has to be accomplished, or the short amount of time to accomplish said list. I had time to go home and write for awhile today between meetings and class-and ended up falling asleep until I was wakened coughing-still not over this crazy cold/cough. I am sadly confused regarding day of the week due to not coming back until Monday afternoon and not going in to work until yesterday. I have bright potential opportunities and am waiting to see what God does with me over the next few months as I strive to meet the various deadlines and remain resting peacefully in Him at the same time!